Volunteers weather the cold to help

Somewhere in the future, the question will be, “during the big snowstorm where were you?” That will bring back loads of memories, electrical rollbacks, lack of water and boil notices. But of all those bad memories, there are also moments of the best that humanity and Wimberley has to offer.

Moments of daily checkins on the elderly in the neighborhood, making sure they are alright and not in any danger. Asking who in the neighborhood needs firewood for an essential heating source, or braving the snowstorm in a jeep to provide essentials to others that couldn’t get out.

Preston Hinds was one of those individuals. Preston works for Wimberley Towing, so when the roads were closed, he thought he would have a little fun on his ATV. Although Preston grew up here he spent two years in North Dakota, so he was accustomed to this type of weather.

“So what was going to happen? ...Wimberley Towing told me to sit tight,” he said. Then he saw a lady walking to the HEB in high heels and offered a ride, she declined but on the way back to her house, with groceries in her grasp, she accepted gladly.

“People get trapped and they’d be offered rides. We were all over, starting at the Square. There’s an older lady, and I wanted to check on her… I gave about 15 people a ride from Green Acres, Woodcreek, the Square, all over,” he said. “It was a blast.”

But there was a serious side, one of brotherly love and helping those who don’t have the means or knowledge to correct the situation. Number one problem? Broken PVC pipe, and it doesn’t matter whether city or well… water was bursting through pipes like water balloons with the lowered sub-freezing temperatures.

One Woodcreek neighbor was prepared to ride it out, but thought of others. Cody Abney is certified in numerous construction trades including commercial plumbing, and has been a construction inspector.

“I had to make sure my wife and kids and my own house were in order, a generator is set up if the lights go out… Sunday I was driving back from a hunting trip in Brackettville, loaded with (fire) wood. It was 60 miles with sheets of snow coming down… It was the worst decision of my life,” Cody said. At home he thought, “I have every tool known to man.” He decided to help others that could not help themselves

No call was too small, “I gave five gallon buckets to melt snow for toilets… I went around doing things.” Leaky roofs, broken pipes, broken whatever, he was Johnny on the spot. “I only fixed two out of four water softeners.”

He said Sunday morning. “I have to get my tools back on the road as I have to go back to work on Monday.”

More stories were on social media:

“My part time UPS man braved my terrible driveway to check on me and bring me water. First vehicle up that driveway in 8 days,” said Marian Milks on the Wimberley View Facebook page.

Sharon Keagan also contributed that, “Chris and Arielle Kegan-Stockdale went and delivered food, water, fire supplies to neighbors, started fireplaces for elderly that lived alone, helped them with chores, and even cooked pots of hot food and distributed (it). They were out taking care of the community from early in the day until way after dark on many days.”

Frozen pipes under the house and at the pump house was a huge problem for Mike August. Needing a white knight or more importantly a knowledgeable plumber, he appeared in the form of neighbor Glenn Rusk.

“It was underneath the house, broken PVC pipe… For the better of two days he helped us out and asked nothing in return, I really needed help,” said August. “Glenn would never say anything about himself helping others.”

Glenn asked nothing in return. After he was done he left to help another person get their well back up. “His lifetime of experience and collection of PVC parts were critical,” August said. Helping another young couple and an elderly lady were next on Rusk’s list.

“For no money, going down there. He just got down there and did it. I was his gopher. He replaced the pump, and the pump for the house’s water pressure. Everything was broken and he got it working again.”

Of course there were many stories such as these around town, neighbors helping neighbors, whether it was loose cattle or horses as in the past or the freak sub-freezing snow blizzard of last week, the Wimberley spirit of helping your neighbor is still alive and well.